Warriors: Darkening Dawn; Midnight Fur (BOOK 1)
Blurb Many moons after the new clans have formed, kittypets and loners get familiar with their new neighbours. Including Shady, a kittypet who never heard the call of the wild. But when she's put into danger once joining the cats, mysterious things begin to happen. If she wants to defend her new life, she must fight. Dedication To my brother, for always making me laugh. ------------------ (Sorry if you do not know who these cats are or look like. The alligances kinda died on me. Also, sorry if any of the Clans in this story you also had the name of. Sorreh. ;w;") Prologue Dark gray clouds filled the sky. A young, black tom crouched down, his belly fur bristling against the grass, tracking a mouse. He opened his mouth so that the scents of the new territory could brush against the roof of his mouth, almost tasting a mouse in his jaws. Silently, the black tom crept. He could pick up stale scents of StoneClan cats lingering near. He didn't care if he was caught or got in trouble. Nothing was going to stop him from killing this mouse and providing it to his clan. Then, with a great leap, he pounced onto the mouse. The small creature let out a yelp as his paws clasped into it, his claws digging into its fur. Somehow, it slipped away, blood trickling down its side. The black tom chased after it, hissing. But, as he ran, he felt a hard thump on his head. The black tom dropped onto his back as something pushed him against the ground. He glanced over his shoulder to see a gray tom, his lip curled, forming a snarl. His paws was pressed against the black tom's head. "What do you think you're doing?" The gray cat spat. He glared at the black tom. "Who do you think you are, on StoneClan territory?" "I'm Batpaw," the black tom hissed at the massive gray cat. "And it's not my '' fault the borders' markings are stale. Maybe your leader should send out more border patrols." Batpaw attempted to slip away, but the cat's grip was too strong to break it. The cat rolled his eyes. "Oh really? I should speak to my leader?" He looked at Batpaw with a amused but enraged glance. "I think ''you're talking to the leader right now!" Batpaw's eyes widened. Mouse-brain! It's Stonestar! Now I'm really in trouble.. ''Stonestar was the very first leader of StoneClan, who went on a journey with Meadowfur, now Meadowstar, after a StarClan prophecy told them to do. Eventually, the two split, and then they met Jaystar, the TrashClan leader, and two loners named Bear and Thorn, who became Bearstar and Thornstar. Soon, they all came together, and formed the five clans, MeadowClan, BearClan, ThornClan, StoneClan and TrashClan. Batpaw hadn't been born at this time, so he had been told of this story by his now deceased mother. But, before he could answer, he heard the rustling of grass. Both he and Stonestar looked over to the direction of the noise. Soon, they saw a cat with pale yellow fur approach them. ''Oh no! It's Meadowstar, my mentor.. I wonder what will happen.. Meadowstar looked at Stonestar, not paying any attention to Batpaw. "Hello," she mewed. "I see you have an apprentice of mine. Now, if you don't mind, I shall take him back from the likes of your paws." She turned towards Batpaw, reached out a paw, but before she could grab Batpaw, Stonestar slapped it away with his bushy, gray tail. "No," Stonestar snarled. "He was hunting in my territory!" He glared at Meadowstar. "If you want him back, you must promise not to even go near my territory." The pale yellow she-cat shook her head. "No. Sorry. We have to mark our borders too, Stonestar. Don't be so selfish after-" The StoneClan leader snarled. "I'm not selfish!" He swung his head into the air. "StoneClan, attack!" Immediately, cats hopped down from the trees, their claws unsheated. But, Meadowstar was prepared. She flicked her tail, and then cats of MeadowClan dashed out of the bushes to face their feisty enemies. Stonestar leapt off of Batpaw, and towards one of the MeadowClan cats. Meadowstar looked at Batpaw and mouthed, Run! He nodded and darted away, glancing over his shoulder to see battling cats. Batpaw kept on running, passing a barn and twoleg den. Please, StarClan. Keep my clanmates safe. A black-and-white she-cat, Lynx, curled around her two kits. Outside of her twoleg den, she spotted wildcats violently slashing at each other, their claws raking at each others' fur as blood splattered against the battlefield. Lynx sighed. She thought she could be safe after venturing to this place from far away. She used to be a rogue, and she knew she couldn't let her newborn kits grow up like that, surviving on their own. Lynx looked down at her two kits. The dark gray one with splotches of white fur, having the pelt of his father Snow, was named Smokey. The black-and-white one, having the pelt of Lynx, was named Shady. The two kits were snoring peacefully. She would be sad to watch her kittens be taken away by the twolegs. But at least they'll stay safe. Chapter 1 The scents of old cats' fur filled filled Shady's nose. She found herself in an open, starry place, with massive, white trees towering over her. The almost grown up black-and-white she-kit began cautiously trotting across the field. Soft grass pressed against the bottom of her paws. Though it was comforting, Shady didn't know how to react. Where was she? Where was her mother, Lynx? Or her brother, Smokey? As Shady walked, she felt as if million of gazes were stabbing into her fur. Then, with a quick movement, she felt fur press against hers. Shady looked up to see a large, ginger she-cat stare at her with their deep, soft amber gaze. "Hello," the ginger she-cat mewed. Shady stumbled back. What was happening? "Don't be afraid. StarClan is gentle, even towards kittypets." Shady took a step back. The ginger she-cat began to walk away and flicked her tail signaling for Shady to follow. Without hesitation, she followed the cat to wherever she went.'' This may be interesting. Plus, it's just a dream. Dreams don't hurt.'' As they walked, Shady started to notice more and more cats slip out of the whiteish green, starry bushes. She watched a calico tom sit on a rock, looking at Shady and the ginger she-cat both with wide curious eyes. "Is this the cat, Leafheart?" He called to the ginger she-cat, pointing at Shady with the tip of his tail. "I expected a full grown cat. Not a kit." Leafheart, Shady guessed, looked at the tom. "Oh, calm down Redstar. We chose this cat together. All ''of us did, if you didn't forget?" "What are you talking about?" Shady mewed quietly. "Why are you talking about me, for my sake?" Before you knew it, cats were surrounding Shady. Their eyes were bright and white as their pawsteps rumbled across the ground. But the strangest thing about this, is that they were murmuring, "A cat the color of midnight will save the new clans." Astonished, Shady heard Leafheart murmur, "You must save the new clans, Shady. They depend on you!" And, as if someone knocked her out, darkness filled Shady's head. "Wake up, Shady!" Snapping awake, Shady realized she was in her cozy bed, and her gray-and-white brother, Smokey, was beside her, a paw on her head. Grumbling, she rose to her paws. Staring into her brother's eyes, Shady said, "What in nasty dogfood do you want, animalbrain?!" Looking at his surprised and saddened face, she sighed and mumbled out, "Sorry. You just woke me up from a really.. Interesting dream." Shady's smoke gray and white brother rolled his eyes. "Well, I was wondering if you wanted to go outside. The twolegs installed this small flapping thing into the wall that lets us outside!" Flicking her tail as Shady's green eyes widened, Shady spat out, "No! We can't. You know what Mother would say if we were outside! Besides, we have everything we need. We don't need the stupid wild. We only need each other, Smokey." Smokey rolled his narrowed, bright, amber eyes. "Please, Shady! Just once? I promise we'll be out there for only a little bit!" Giving up, Shady let out a growl. "Fine." She and her brother both walked to the flap. Quietly, they both slipped outside. But Shady didn't feel disgust of the outside world. It was more beautiful than she ever even imagined. Leaves of many colors, red, orange, green, and yellow, rested upon the ground. Large trees towered above Shady and Smokey, and the fence that circled around them was old looking. Birds chirped loudly, and Shady spotted a squirrel in the trees, and felt her mouth watering. Smokey looked at Shady in an amused manner. "And you said we didn't need the outside world!" He chuckled, flicking his tail back and forth. As she rolled her eyes Shady meowed out, "Oh, whatever." She let out a purr. "Don't tell me you're planning on running away and becoming a wildcat, Smokey. You know Mother would never allow it!" But as she looked into her brother's deep amber eyes, she saw curiosity flicker in them. ''No. I shouldn't have said that! "Of course, Shady. My heart doesn't belong in twoleg place." "But, you can't, Smokey!" Shady protested. Smokey shook his head, teeth gritted. "I never belonged here, Shady! You know that." He stared at Shady in a way that made her heart crack. "This argument is over, Smokey. Let's go back inside." Her brother let out a hiss, but didn't argue more. He and Shady walked to the flap in the wall, and slid through. Chapter 2 Shady curled up in her warm, soft nest in her twoleg den with Smokey. It had been nearly a moon since she and his feud, but now they made up. Well, at least she thinks so. But, a few minutes past by, and she felt the warmth of her brother's gray fur face away. Warily, she raised her head up, and with her eyes adjusting to the darkness, Shady watched as Smokey quietly slipped out of the flap in the wall. "What's he doing now?" Shady muttered. She rose up, and followed her brother quietly through the pitch black darkness. She could barely even see her brother, thanks to his fur. But, since he had white fur too, she could spot him. Shady watched as Smokey anxiously glanced around, then hopped over the old, wooden, white fence of the garden they lived in. Quietly, Shady jumped onto the tip of the fence, only a few tail-lengths away from the ground. But, she realized her brother wasn't alone. Peering through the darkness, she saw a pale ginger tabby tom with broad shoulders stand in front of Smokey. "Watch out, Smokey!" Shady yowled, jumping at the cat, claws stretched, her bell collar ringing. But, the cat moved away with grace, and pushed her head to the ground. "Who is this?" The pale ginger tabby cat ask asked her brother. He stared down at Shady with dark, unmoving amber eyes. "I can kill her if necessary." "No, let her go, Honeysmile," Smokey meowed. "That's just my idiotic little sister trying to 'protect' me from you." Shady snarled. How dare! She was only trying to keep him safe! "I have a name, bird-brain! And who is this cat? Why is he here? With you?" He sighed. "This is Honeysmile, from MeadowClan." Smokey looked at the tom. "I'm going with him."